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  • Firings of federal workers begin as White House seeks to pressure Democrats in government shutdown – WTOP News

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    The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started in an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    WTOP’S Kate Ryan reports that leaders of unions that represent over 900,000 federal workers are blasting the Trump administration as the latest round of federal layoffs are announced.

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers have started, an attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown dragged into a 10th day.

    Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on the social media site X that the “RIFs have begun,” referring to reduction-in-force plans aimed at reducing the size of the federal government.

    In a court filing, the budget office said well over 4,000 employees would be fired, though it noted that the funding situation was “fluid and rapidly evolving.”

    The firings would hit the hardest at the departments of the Treasury, which would lose over 1,400 employees, and Health and Human Services, with a loss of over 1,100. The Education Department and Housing and Urban Development each would lose over 400 staffers. The departments of Commerce, Energy and Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency were all set to fire hundreds of more employees. It was not clear which particular programs would be affected.

    The aggressive move by Trump’s budget office goes far beyond what usually happens in a government shutdown and escalates an already politically toxic dynamic between the White House and Congress. Talks to end the shutdown are almost nonexistent.

    Typically, federal workers are furloughed but restored to their jobs once the shutdown ends, traditionally with back pay. Some 750,000 employees are expected to be furloughed during the shutdown, officials have said.

    Democrats — and some Republicans — criticize the administration’s actions

    In comments to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday night, Trump said many people would be losing their jobs, and that the firings would be focused on Democrat-oriented areas, though he didn’t explain exactly what that meant.

    “It’ll be a lot, and we’ll announce the numbers over the next couple of days,” he said. “But it’ll be a lot of people.”

    Trump said that, going forward, “We’re going to make a determination, do we want a lot? And I must tell you, a lot of them happen to be Democrat oriented.”

    “These are people that the Democrats wanted, that, in many cases, were not appropriate,” he said of federal employees, eventually adding, “Many of them will be fired.”

    Still, some leading Republicans were highly critical of the administration’s actions.

    “I strongly oppose OMB Director Russ Vought’s attempt to permanently lay off federal workers who have been furloughed due to a completely unnecessary government shutdown,” said Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, who blamed the federal closure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

    Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the announcement “poorly timed” and “yet another example of this administration’s punitive actions toward the federal workforce.”

    For his part, Schumer said the blame for the layoffs rested with Trump.

    “Let’s be blunt: nobody’s forcing Trump and Vought to do this,” Schumer said. “They don’t have to do it; they want to. They’re callously choosing to hurt people — the workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike. This is deliberate chaos.”

    Notice of firings has already begun at several federal agencies

    The White House had previewed its tactics shortly before the government shutdown began on Oct. 1, telling all federal agencies to submit their reduction-in-force plans to the budget office for its review.

    It said reduction-in-force plans could apply to federal programs whose funding would lapse in a government shutdown, are otherwise not funded and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

    On Friday, the Education Department was among the agencies hit by new layoffs, a department spokesperson said. A labor union for the agency’s workers said the administration is laying off almost all employees below the director level at the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, while fewer than 10 employees were being terminated at the agency’s Office of Communications and Outreach.

    Notices of firings have also taken place at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which leads federal efforts to reduce risk to the nation’s cyber and physical infrastructure, according to DHS, where CISA is housed. The agency has been a frequent Trump target over its work to counter misinformation about the 2020 presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS said the layoffs were “part of getting CISA back on mission.”

    Federal health workers were also being fired, though an HHS spokesman did not say how many or which agencies were being hit hardest. A spokesperson for the EPA, which also has an unspecified number of layoffs, blamed the Democrats for the firings and said they can vote to reopen the government anytime.

    Threats of more cuts across the federal workforce

    An official for the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents federal workers and is suing the Trump administration over the firings, said in a legal filing Friday that the Treasury Department is set to issue layoff notices to 1,300 employees.

    The AFGE asked a federal judge to halt the firings, calling the action an abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress.

    “It is disgraceful that the Trump administration has used the government shutdown as an excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across the country,” AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a statement.

    Democrats have tried to call the administration’s bluff, arguing the firings could be illegal, and had seemed bolstered by the fact that the White House had not immediately pursued the layoffs once the shutdown began.

    But Trump signaled earlier this week that job cuts could be coming in “four or five days.”

    “If this keeps going on, it’ll be substantial, and a lot of those jobs will never come back,” he said Tuesday.

    Workforce cuts appear unhelpful to bipartisan shutdown negotiations

    Meanwhile, the halls of the Capitol were quiet on Friday, the 10th day of the shutdown, with both the House and the Senate out of Washington and both sides digging in for a protracted shutdown fight. Senate Republicans have tried repeatedly to cajole Democratic holdouts to vote for a stopgap bill to reopen the government, but Democrats have refused as they hold out for a firm commitment to extend health care benefits.

    Some Republicans on Capitol Hill have suggested that Vought’s threats of mass layoffs have been unhelpful to bipartisan talks.

    And the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, said in a statement that the “shutdown does not give Trump or Vought new, special powers” to lay off workers.

    “This is nothing new, and no one should be intimidated by these crooks,” she added.

    Still, there was no sign that the top Democratic and Republican Senate leaders were even talking about a way to solve the impasse. Instead, Senate Majority Leader John Thune continued to try to peel away centrist Democrats who may be willing to cross party lines.

    “It’s time for them to get a backbone,” Thune, a South Dakota Republican, said Friday.

    The Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan organization that tracks federal service, says more than 200,000 civil servants have left since the start of this administration in January due to earlier firings, retirements and deferred resignation offers.

    “These unnecessary and misguided reductions in force will further hollow out our federal government, rob it of critical expertise and hobble its capacity to effectively serve the public,” said the organization’s president and CEO, Max Stier.

    ___

    AP Education Writer Collin Binkley and AP writers Kevin Freking, Matthew Daly, Rebecca Santana, Mike Stobbe and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

    Copyright
    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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    WTOP Staff

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  • Fairfax Co. extends car tax payment deadline, considers other ways to support federal workers – WTOP News

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    Citing a struggle for many families who call Fairfax County, Virginia, home, the Board of Supervisors considered ways to help support federal workers during the current government shutdown.

    Fairfax County leaders approved a plan on Tuesday to delay the car tax payment deadline by a month and briefly considered additional ways to support federal workers during the current government shutdown.

    While the payment was originally due on Monday, the Board of Supervisors approved a plan to delay the deadline 30 days to Nov. 5. The move came during a special meeting as the shutdown is in its second week.

    “The timing of when taxes became due and the shutdown of the federal government running almost parallel makes this an unprecedented moment, and obviously a struggle for many of our families in Fairfax County,” Chairman Jeff McKay said.

    Virginia’s largest county is home to about 80,000 federal workers, according to its estimates. The move means fines won’t accrue until after the new date, McKay said, but it doesn’t relieve car tax payments for anyone.

    Local governments have the authority to extend the deadline for the car tax payments up to 90 days, and McKay said if the federal government closure continues, “We could consider adding additional days to this. But as we sit here today, we have no idea how long that’s going to last.”

    While the board approved the plan unanimously, Supervisor Pat Herrity said he supported it “with a little bit of heartburn, because I always worry about the people who made the decision to pay our taxes because it was the right thing to do instead of not pay it. But I think we need to do everything we can to help our federal workers.”

    Over 82% of residents paid the car tax by the due date at this time last year, according to Fairfax County Department of Tax Administration Director Jay Doshi.

    Separately, Herrity wondered whether the county could launch a program similar to one used in Maryland to support federal workers. In June, Gov. Wes Moore announced a program that offered former federal workers a $700 interest-free loan that has to be paid 180 days after a loan agreement is signed. Recipients have an option to seek a 90-day extension if there’s still financial hardship, according to a news release.

    “I don’t know if it’s legal for us to do that in Virginia or not (or) what the fiscal impact of that would look like,” Herrity said.

    Citing the Department of Government Efficiency cuts to federal agencies, Supervisor Dan Storck said the board can “make it a little bit easier and help people along the way to balance their budgets or personal budgets.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Federal workers in Maryland sound off on government shutdown – WTOP News

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    Federal workers who live in Maryland raised concerns about the federal government shutdown Monday with Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks.

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    Federal workers who live in Maryland participated in a virtual town hall Monday night, hosted by Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks to raise concerns about the federal government shutdown.

    Some participants, such as Amanda from Reisterstown, sounded defeated: “We’re feeling pretty beat down at this point.”

    While others such as Joe from Germantown, were pushing for action: “I want to know what you’re doing to fight back against this.”

    Rayna from Upper Marlboro was among those who asked practical questions: “The backpay for federal workers, I just want to know what kind of guarantee that we will see this?”

    That backpay is guaranteed by law, Van Hollen said.

    He said when federal employees are hurt, everyone in the country gets hurt because they lose government services.

    “I want to thank our federal employees, they are great patriots,” Van Hollen said. “They perform vital services for the American people.”

    Alsobrooks said she has felt the pain of the shutdown, because she knows so many federal workers personally.

    “It hurts all of us,” Alsobrooks said. “The thing that is so ridiculous about this shutdown, is it hurts both Democrat and Republican families.”

    The Senate held a pair of votes Monday aimed at funding the federal government, but neither proposal came close to gaining the 60 votes needed to advance.

    The last government shutdown, the nation’s longest, ended in January 2019 after 35 days.

    The current government shutdown would enter its second week Wednesday.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Kyle Cooper

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  • These North Carolina members of Congress want their pay withheld during shutdown

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    President Donald Trump endorsed Greg Murphy during his 2019 special election and called him to the stage during his July 17, 2019 rally in Greenville. Murphy won the race and now represents Eastern North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    President Donald Trump endorsed Greg Murphy during his 2019 special election and called him to the stage during his July 17, 2019 rally in Greenville. Murphy won the race and now represents Eastern North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives.


    TRAVIS LONG

    WASHINGTON

    Four of North Carolina’s 16 members of Congress requested their salaries be withheld while federal employees aren’t being paid during the government shutdown.

    Several laws, including the 27th Amendment, require members of Congress to continue to receive a paycheck, even during a government shutdown. But all around lawmakers are government workers being told they won’t receive their paycheck, whether they’re being told to stay home or continue working.

    Members of Congress do have options like declining and returning their pay, donating their salary to a charity or the Treasury, or requesting the House administrative office withhold their pay, though they would still be owed.

    The latter is what North Carolina’s four members chose to do.

    Democratic Reps. Don Davis and Valerie Foushee and Republicans Reps. Greg Murphy and Tim Moore sent letters to the House chief administrative officer making that request.

    Murphy, of Greenville, put his request in first, the morning the government shut down. He sent a letter reading: “Please withhold my net pay until the appropriations agreement has taken effect.”

    Davis, of Snow Hill, followed a few hours later, writing: “While the federal government remains shut down, I respectfully request that you withhold my pay as a member of Congress.”

    Davis’ chief of staff, Hannah Spengler, explained his reasoning in a written statement to McClatchy.

    “Congressman Davis has chosen to have his pay withheld during the shutdown, standing with federal workers and families facing uncertainty,” Spengler said.

    Foushee, of Hillsborough, gave a longer explanation of her decision in her letter.

    “Members of Congress should play by the same rules as the people they represent,” Foushee wrote. “Until Congress comes to a bipartisan resolution to this impasse, one that makes whole the people I represent in NC-04 and fully reopens the government, I firmly believe member pay should be withheld.”

    Moore, of Kings Mountain, sent a letter with a similar tenor, though he blamed the shutdown on Democrats.

    “It’s not right for members of Congress to receive pay while our troops go unpaid and hurricane recovery efforts in Western North Carolina are stalled,” Moore wrote in his letter.

    There is a bill, filed by Virginia Rep. Robert Wittman, before the current Congress that would prevent lawmakers from receiving pay if they fail to pass a budget. None of North Carolina’s members have co-sponsored the bill.

    Rep. Wiley Nickel, a Democrat from Cary, filed the same bill in 2023 before retiring from Congress, but it never made it to a vote.

    Danielle Battaglia

    McClatchy DC

    Danielle Battaglia is the D.C. correspondent for The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, leading coverage of North Carolina’s congressional delegation and elections. She also covers the White House. Her career has spanned three North Carolina newsrooms where she has covered crime, courts and local, state and national politics. She has won two McClatchy President’s awards and numerous national and state awards for her work.

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    Danielle Battaglia

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  • Unions ask judge to block immediate firings of federal workers. – WTOP News

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    A federal judge in San Francisco could rule Monday on an emergency request from unions representing government employees, seeking to block immediate layoffs threatened by the White House amid a government shutdown. 

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    A federal judge in San Francisco could rule Monday on an emergency request from unions representing government employees, seeking to block immediate layoffs threatened by the White House amid a government shutdown. 

    The White House senior economic adviser Kevin Hassett told CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday that layoffs could begin as early as Monday, “if the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere.”

    Saturday, unions representing federal workers filed a motion for a temporary restraining order, asking Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to block President Donald Trump’s administration from taking immediate action.

    Last week, the court received a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

    The temporary restraining order request follows the AFGE and AFSCME suit.

    The unions’ lawsuit focuses on a memo the White House budget office sent to agency leaders in late September to prepare for large-scale firings if the federal government shut down.

    The memo from OMB said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next week, are not otherwise funded and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”

    President Donald Trump has said on social media that he and budget director Russell Vought would determine “which of the many Democrat Agencies” would be cut.

    The unions argue the White House doesn’t have the legal authority to permanently shed workers during a lapse in appropriations, and that after the shutdown, furloughed employees who worked without paychecks would receive back pay.

    As of Monday morning, Chhabria’s docket doesn’t reflect that the case has been scheduled for argument Monday.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Neal Augenstein

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  • Trump Says There Could be Firings and Project Cuts if Shutdown Continues

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    U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said federal workers could be fired and projects cut if a government shutdown continues, even as he suggested Americans might get rebate checks from new tariff revenues.

    “There could be firings, and that’s their fault,” Trump said of Democrats in Congress, when asked in an interview with OAN television network about a recent memo from the Office of Management and Budget that raised prospects of firings.

    “We could cut projects that they wanted, favorite projects, and they’d be permanently cut,” he said, adding, “I am allowed to cut things that should have never been approved in the first place and I will probably do that.”

    The federal government partially shut down on Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal, with only essential services continuing.

    Trump said revenues from new tariffs were just starting to kick in but could eventually reach $1 trillion a year. He said some of the funds would help pay down the government’s debt, which he said could reach $38 trillion.

    Trump’s tariff estimate far exceeds that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who last month said customs duty revenues from Trump’s tariffs could top $500 billion a year.

    U.S. Treasury data shows the federal government has $37.64 trillion in federal debt.

    The Republican president said his administration was looking at using tariff revenues to issue rebate checks for Americans.

    “We also might make a distribution to the people, almost like a dividend to the people of America,” Trump told OAN. “We’ve thinking maybe $1,000 to $2,000. It’d be great.”

    Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Andrea Shalal, Editing by Franklin Paul and Cynthia Osterman

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    Reuters

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  • Government shutdown threatens to drag on through weekend with lawmakers deadlocked

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    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.“Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.“I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”“My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

    WASHINGTON —

    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.

    Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.

    A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.

    The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.

    Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.

    “Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”

    With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.

    Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.

    Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.

    GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.

    Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.

    “I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”

    “My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

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  • What furloughed federal workers should know about managing their finances during shutdown – WTOP News

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    Federal workers checking their finances to see how they’ll fare if the government shutdown drags on may find themselves fighting gut-wrenching anxiety.

    Federal workers checking their finances to see how they’ll fare if the government shutdown drags on may find themselves fighting gut-wrenching anxiety.

    And Kathleen Borgueta, a former federal employee, knows exactly how that feels.

    She lost her job at the U.S. Agency for International Development in January, and had to scramble to deal with a host of new expenses as the mother of a newborn son.

    “I would make sure you have all of your HR forms saved,” Borgueta said, adding that federal workers that are currently being furloughed should make sure the documents are easily accessible.

    Borgueta founded Pivoting Parents, which works to help former federal workers make the transition to new careers.

    She also said federal workers should be familiar with their own benefits, especially if they find themselves out of a job.

    “I know countless people who didn’t get the amounts they thought they were going to get for vacation payouts and things like that,” Borgueta said.

    Don’t hesitate to contact your landlord or mortgage company to let them know you are experiencing interruption in pay, she said.

    Reach out to utility companies — many in the D.C. area have posted notifications that indicate customers impacted by the shutdown can get help with payment options.

    “Verizon, my internet, was willing to work with me when I told them that I was a displaced worker,” Borgueta said.

    As a new mom, Borgueta was facing medical bills, and advised those in a similar situation to inquire about payment options and whether you can get those bills reduced.

    “It is well worth negotiating — talking to a real person and asking about payment plans,” she said.

    Aside from fiscal fitness, Borgueta advised furloughed federal workers to tend to their mental health.

    “I’ve been through government shutdowns. Sometimes they’re short, sometimes they’re long,” she said. “Make sure that you have the supports that you need to take care of yourself and to take care of your family.”

    Resist the urge to withdraw and shoulder your burdens on your own, she said.

    “I would really recommend leaning on in-person networks — people you do know who are also going through these experiences — and not just doomscrolling,” she said. “Ask for help.”

    Borgueta said she leaned heavily on in-person communities, and said the D.C. region has a wide range of resources, from career coaching to accessing certification for in-demand skills.

    Filing for unemployment benefits: Nuts and bolts

    Michele Evermore, senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, told WTOP her advice for former federal workers when applying for unemployment insurance.

    “Be prepared to provide the last 18 months in pay stubs plus your SF8 form and your SF50 form,” she said.

    But she said furloughed workers shouldn’t panic if they can’t access those forms.

    “You can file an affidavit confirming what your wages were, but it’s just a little more time consuming than a regular unemployment insurance claim,” Evermore said.

    Evermore said unemployment benefits will not cover a furloughed workers’ living expenses. Weekly benefits range from $440 a week in D.C. to $378 a week in Virginia. In Maryland, weekly payments are as high as $430.

    “That’s not a lot of income, but it’s better than zero,” Evermore said.

    After filing for unemployment, Evermore said, expect to wait.

    “It will take a while because, in general, timeliness means you get paid within two to three weeks,” she said.

    One thing that anyone receiving unemployment benefits should realize is that those benefits will be taxed.

    “States will give you the option of withholding now or paying later. I would really encourage people to just withhold now and make sure you’re not stuck with an unexpected tax bill next year,” she said.

    One last bit of advice, said Evermore: keep your unemployment benefits password.

    “In some states, if you don’t keep your password for the unemployment insurance system and you get logged out, you’ll have to actually call and get mailed a password. So make sure you keep that someplace safe,” she said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Kate Ryan

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  • Pastors in Prince George’s County say they’re ready to help furloughed federal workers – WTOP News

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    Leaders of churches and nonprofits in Prince George’s County, Maryland, said they were ready to offer a wide range of support for furloughed or laid off federal workers on Wednesday.

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    When Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy started talking about the Maryland county’s response to the government shutdown, she said the first people her administration called were local utilities to make sure water and electricity would keep running.

    Pastor Gerald Folsom of Greater Mount Nebo AME church in Bowie, Maryland, spoke about assistance for federal workers. (WTOP/John Domen)

    Judging by the number who showed up, the second round of calls she made was to faith leaders.

    Leaders of several churches and nonprofits were on hand in Largo on Wednesday, and all of them said they were ready to offer a wide range of support for furloughed or laid off federal workers who might need help in the days and weeks to come — regardless of how faithful they may or may not be.

    “We’re bracing for what is going to be a tsunami in our community,” said Bishop Joel Peebles of City of Praise Family Ministries in Landover.

    As the White House threatens to terminate more employees, Peebles said, “It’s going to fall at the feet of the churches, our community leaders, to be inventive to try to find ways to help our community.”

    Next week, his church is planning a big event that focuses on entrepreneurship. It’ll include help with job hunting and reskilling, but also mortgage counseling and education about artificial intelligence and Bitcoin.

    “We’re going to give you an opportunity to expand your life,” Peebles said. “But most of all, we’re going to give you an opportunity to build it so that if the government shuts down, if the community shuts down, your house doesn’t shut down.”

    A lot of the services are already offered year-round anyway, but the county wanted to highlight them to federal workers who might not have needed to utilize them before, or even knew they were available.

    Among those who spoke was Jacob’s Ladder Youth Foundation Executive Director Jarriel Jordan, who said his group provided nearly 400,000 meals to more than 43,000 households in the county last year. Jordan said they team up with other nonprofits, restaurants and food providers already, and that his group was available now if help is needed.

    “I was a federal employee and retired now, and so I’ve been through these shutdowns,” said Pastor Gerald Folsom of Greater Mt. Nebo AME Church in Bowie.

    His church already helps provide food and housing assistance in parts of the county. Folsom said they’re looking at expanding those offerings in more parts of Prince George’s County, and that churches around the region can expect to see more people in the pews, and more people looking for help in the weeks ahead.

    “The first place people will come before they come to the government is their household of faith,” Folsom said.

    “We have a food pantry that’s open five days a week from 9 to 4,” said Adenia Bradley, CEO of Mission of Love Charities in Capitol Heights.

    The group also offers physical and mental health clinics three days a week, as well as food and rental assistance.

    Folsom noted that willingness to help, and to listen, isn’t just limited to those who already attend those churches. And it’s not limited to those who practice their faith regularly either.

    “If you’re there, come on, come out. We have our arms open,” he said. “You don’t even have to believe, but you do need food. You do need to get your children clothed. You do need to keep your family together.”

    He also said this was the time for the faith community around the D.C. region to come together.

    “We’re calling for the mosques, the temples, the synagogues, all of us come together,” Folsom said. “Because this is not about what faith we are. This is about the entire faith community coming together to do something good.”

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  • Help and assistance programs for furloughed federal workers in the DC region – WTOP News

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    These groups are offering help to federal workers, many of whom are furloughed and won’t be paid during the government shutdown.

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    Some companies and local governments in the D.C. region are offering help to federal workers, many of whom are being furloughed and won’t be paid during the government shutdown.

    Tens of thousands of federal workers are expected to be furloughed as President Donald Trump’s administration also threatened mass firings over the shutdown.

    Here are assistance programs and supports for federal workers and others impacted by the shutdown:

    Utilities

    Pepco and Baltimore Gas and Electric: 

    • Flexible payment options: Both companies offer payment arrangements up to 12 months and budget billing plans, according to a news release.
    • Late payment charge waivers: Affected customers can get a 30-day waiver on late payment charges in increments.
    • Proactive resources: Pepco has an Assistance Finder tool and Single Stop, which helps customers find programs they may qualify for. BGE has a self-service Assistance Finder.

    Pepco and BGE said customers won’t be asked to provide a government ID to get access to support.

    Details from BGE can be found here. Details from Pepco can be found here.

    Washington Gas:

    • The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, provides grants to help families pay for their gas bills. The program application reopened Wednesday through the Department of Energy and Environment.

    Virginia

    Available support includes: 

    • Federal employees and contractors can’t be evicted or foreclosed on during a federal government shutdown, under state law.

    Alexandria:

    • The city of Alexandria is offering short-term relief resources to residents and businesses, according to a news release from the city.
    • In terms of enforcement relief, there are extended payment plans available to people directly impacted by the shutdown, though penalties and interest will accrue.

    Maryland

    Available support includes: 

    • Furloughed federal employees can apply for unemployment insurance benefits. They would have to pay back those benefits after the shutdown ends and they receive retroactive pay.
    • Furloughed federal employees who are at risk of eviction or foreclosure can ask the court for a temporary pause. Unlike in Virginia, those protections don’t apply to contractors.
    • The state has protections in place to prevent electric and gas companies from shutting off service to furloughed employees who are missing bills. Those protections kick in on the eighth day of a government shutdown.
    • Should the shutdown continue, the Federal Shutdown Loan Program will open on Oct. 6. The program offers a $700 no-interest loan to impacted employees, which must be paid back 45 days after the shutdown ends.

    WSSC Water:

    • Maryland’s largest water utility will suspend service turnoffs and waive late fees for customers directly impacted by the government shutdown, according to a news release.
    • Lyn Riggins, a WSSC spokesperson, told WTOP that customers of the water utility company are “not going to have to worry about a water service turn off,” if they can’t pay their bills during the shutdown.
    • Riggins said the water utility’s Get Current program, which offers forgiveness for a portion of a customer’s bill, and which was to have wrapped up at the end of October, is being extended by a month.

    WTOP’s Will Vitka contributed to this report.

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  • Deals, specials for federal workers during the shutdown – WTOP News

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    The government shutdown is here and it has federal workers scrambling. There are a few silver linings, however. And they come in the form of discounts, free tickets and financial support as uncertainty hangs heavy across the nation.

    We want to know your thoughts on the government shutdown. How are you and your family affected? Share your story — Send us a message or a voice note through the WTOP News app on or . Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    The government shutdown is here and it has federal workers scrambling.

    There are a few silver linings, however. And they come in the form of discounts, free tickets and financial support as uncertainty hangs heavy across the nation.

    Food

    From big chains to small businesses, a bunch of restaurants are offering deals to federal employees.

    Here are some of the restaurants with discounts:

    • Hard Rock Cafe at 999 E Street NW, D.C. — $12 entrée special
    • Taco Bamba — one free taco with the purchase of any taco
    • Compass Coffee — free pastry with any drink order
    • Barrel — all day ‘unhappy hour’ specials

    Check in with the restaurants for specific details on how to participate, as many require federal employees to show an ID.

    Museums

    A couple of museums are offering free admission to impacted federal employees.

    • Furloughed federal workers can visit the National Museum of Women in the Arts for free during the shutdown.
    • The Planet Word Museum is offering free walk-up admission to federal employees during the shutdown.

    Washington Spirit

    The Washington Spirit offered discounted tickets to impacted federal workers to its Fan Appreciation Match on Sunday, Oct. 5.

    The team is selling $10 tickets for federal employees. Earlier, it offered free tickets to the first 200 federal employees who signed up for a voucher, but has since run out of free tickets.

    More details are online.

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  • State, local leaders in Maryland cast blame, vow to help furloughed federal workers – WTOP News

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    Gov. Wes Moore and other Democratic leaders in Maryland vowed to do what they could to help federal workers hurt by the government shutdown.

    Federal workers and government contractors – we want to hear from you. With the recent job cuts, what work is no longer getting done at agencies? What programs were you working on that have been cut? Send us a voicemail through the WTOP News app, available on Apple or Android. Click the “Feedback” button in the app’s navigation bar.

    State and local leaders in Maryland wasted no time in holding news conferences on Wednesday morning, just hours after the government shutdown began.

    Democrats in the state capital cast blame on Republicans while vowing to do what they could to help federal workers who would be hurt by a long, drawn out shutdown.

    The day began with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, other state leaders, and some of the Democratic members of Congress gathered in the State House. The governor called the moment a dark hour, and said he had three priorities for the state during the shutdown.

    “First, I’ve directed state agencies to employ contingency plans that will help to make sure that federal programs can continue to operate in our state for now,” Moore said. “We will ensure that state employees supported with federal funding continue to get paid for as long as possible.”

    Families will continue to receive benefits from federal programs administered by the state, including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.

    “We will also provide greater flexibility to Head Start programs and ensure that veterans maintain access to essential resources,” Moore said. “But I do want to be very clear, the longer this unnecessary federal government shutdown goes on, the harder it is for us to keep services going.”

    Other priorities mentioned by the governor were the shielding of federal workers from evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs, if the shutdown drags on.

    “I sent letters to the state judiciary and our state utility companies reminding them of their statutory legal protections for federal, state and local government employees who are not receiving a paycheck or are at risk of eviction or foreclosure,” Moore said.

    He also said the state would expand emergency assistance programs for federal workers. That includes making federal workers eligible for unemployment benefits during the shutdown, with the promise that they would repay the money once they go back to work.

    “We should not be here right now, Maryland,” Moore said. “And here’s the harsh reality, the longer this unnecessary shutdown lasts, the more likely we are to see serious damage in our state.”

    He specifically cited delays to big infrastructure projects and delays in pay for military families as major impacts of the shutdown.

    Those who gathered in Annapolis were quick to blame congressional Republicans, arguing that their unwillingness to negotiate over Medicaid cuts and premium subsidies for those who get health care from the Affordable Care Act meant the onus was on them.

    But Republicans have argued that, like Democrats in the past, they’re not willing to entertain policy negotiations until a continuing resolution passes and allows the federal government to open.

    ‘It’s really about people’

    In Largo, the tone laid out by leaders in Prince George’s County was a little less partisan. County Executive Aisha Braveboy, along with 10 of the 11 members of the county council, vowed to make all resources possible available to residents who might need them.

    “The shutdown isn’t just about politics. It’s really about people, the needs of people that may go unmet,” Braveboy said.

    “The first folks we call, believe it or not, were the utilities, because we wanted to ensure that residents had services during this shutdown,” she added. “And every single major utility responded and said, ‘We are with you. We are not going to shut people’s utilities off during this shutdown.’”

    Braveboy also said county residents shouldn’t hesitate to contact the state’s 211 hotline, which also provides food, housing and utility assistance. And anyone dealing with anxiety because of the shutdown is encouraged to utilize the 988 mental health hotline.

    “If you just need to talk to someone, don’t be embarrassed. This is a tough time,” she said. “You didn’t ask for this. You’re just doing your jobs as federal workers, and then all of this uncertainty can cause a lot of mental harm.”

    Members of the county’s religious community also gathered in Largo, promising they were ready to lend a hand to anyone who needs help, regardless of their faith. The county also created a full list of available resources to help residents who might need assistance during the shutdown.

    “We did not want this day to happen, but we also know that we can’t live with our eyes closed,” Braveboy said.

    Only at the end of her speech did she hint at her support for congressional Democrats during the shutdown.

    “My job today isn’t necessarily to point fingers, it’s really to open my arms, along with my colleagues here at the council, to say, ‘We hear you, we care about you, we love you, we want you to be OK,’” she said. “And so they can have the discussions on Capitol Hill about the politics. Today, it’s about the service.”

    ‘This is about dignity’

    Meanwhile in Annapolis, state treasurer Dereck Davis was perhaps the most cynical about the situation. He specifically said the situation unfolding on Wednesday will be avoided at all costs next year.

    “Now, we won’t have it next year, because … it will be one month before the election, so somehow we will manage to get a budget done and on time, because their families will be impacted,” Davis said of members of Congress. “But now it’s our families.”

    He expressed frustration that federal dysfunction is impacting residents who don’t have any power. He also lamented that the only conversations anyone is having is over who to blame, not how to resolve it, and he said elected representatives are getting away with behavior that no one would tolerate from their own children.

    “I know my state is home to thousands of federal workers and employees, as well as countless contractors and small businesses whose livelihoods are tied directly to the operation of the federal government. For them, this is not a game or silly power grab for them,” Davis said.

    He said the shutdown impacts everything from mortgage and college tuition payments to everyday household expenses not being met.

    “This is about dignity, fairness and basic decency,” he added. “This is the ask: Rise above partisan conflict, learn the definition of compromise, fulfill your obligations and get the government open and working as expeditiously as possible.”

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  • What Happens to Workers Now That a Government Shutdown is Underway

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    Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged federal shutdown after lawmakers deadlocked and missed the deadline for funding the government.

    Republicans supported a short-term measure to fund the government generally at current levels through Nov. 21, but Democrats blocked it, insisting the measure address their concerns on health care. They want to reverse the Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s mega-bill passed this summer and extend tax credits that make health insurance premiums more affordable for millions of people who purchase through the marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act.

    Republicans called the Democratic proposal a nonstarter that would cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion.

    Neither side shows any signs of budging.

    Here’s what to know about the shutdown that began Wednesday:

    What happens in the shutdown?

    Now that a lapse in funding has occurred, the law requires agencies to furlough their “non-excepted” employees. Excepted employees, who include those who work to protect life and property, stay on the job but don’t get paid until after the shutdown ends.

    The White House Office of Management and Budget begins the process with instructions to agencies that a lapse in appropriations has occurred and they should initiate orderly shutdown activities. That memo went out Tuesday evening.

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed each day of the shutdown, with the total daily cost of their compensation at roughly $400 million.

    What government work continues during a shutdown?

    A great deal, actually.

    FBI investigators, CIA officers, air traffic controllers and agents operating airport checkpoints keep working. So do members of the Armed Forces.

    Those programs that rely on mandatory spending generally continue during a shutdown. Social Security payments still go out. Seniors relying on Medicare coverage can still see their doctors and health care providers can be reimbursed.

    Veteran health care also continues during a shutdown. Veterans Affairs medical centers and outpatient clinics will be open, and VA benefits will be processed and delivered. Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries.

    Will furloughed federal workers get paid?

    Yes. In 2019, Congress passed a bill enshrining into law the requirement that furloughed employees get retroactive pay once operations resume.

    While they’ll eventually get paid, the furloughed workers and those who remain on the job may have to go without one or more of their regular paychecks, depending upon how long the shutdown lasts.

    Service members would also receive back pay for missed paychecks once federal funding resumes.

    Will I still get mail?

    Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is unaffected by a government shutdown. It’s an independent entity funded through the sale of its products and services, not by tax dollars.

    What closes during a shutdown?

    All administrations get some leeway to choose which services to freeze or maintain in a shutdown.

    The first Trump administration worked to blunt the impact of what became the country’s longest partial shutdown in 2018 and 2019. But on Tuesday, Trump threatened the possibility of increasing the pain that comes with a shutdown.

    “We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them,” Trump said of Democrats. “Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

    Each federal agency develops its own shutdown plan. The plans outline which workers would stay on the job during a shutdown and which would be furloughed.

    In a provocative move, the Office of Management and Budget has threatened the mass firing of federal workers in a shutdown. An OMB memo said those programs that didn’t get funding through Trump’s mega-bill this summer would bear the brunt of a shutdown.

    Agencies should consider issuing reduction-in-force notices for those programs whose funding expires, that don’t have alternative funding sources and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities,” the memo said.

    That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when furloughed federal workers returned to their jobs once the shutdown was over. A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but eliminate their positions, which would trigger another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that’s already faced major rounds of cuts due to efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency and elsewhere in Trump’s Republican administration.

    What agencies are planning

    Health and Human Services will furlough about 41 percent of its staff out of nearly 80,000 employees, according to a contingency plan posted on its website.

    As part of that plan, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would continue to monitor disease outbreaks, while activities that will stop include research into health risks and ways to prevent illness.

    Meanwhile, research and patient care at the National Institutes of Health would be upended. Patients currently enrolled in studies at the research-only hospital nicknamed the House of Hope will continue to receive care. Additional sick patients hoping for access to experimental therapies can’t enroll except in special circumstances, and no new studies will begin.

    At the Food and Drug Administration, its “ability to protect and promote public health and safety would be significantly impacted, with many activities delayed or paused.” For example, the agency would not accept new drug applications or medical device submissions that require payment of a user fee.

    The National Park Service plans to furlough about two-thirds of its employees while keeping parks largely open to visitors during the federal shutdown, according to a contingency plan released Tuesday night. The plan says “park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors.”

    The plan also allows parks to enter into agreements with states, tribes or local governments willing to make donations to keep national park sites open. The park service has more than 400 sites, including large national parks such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, national battlefields and historic sites.

    Sites could close if damage is being done to park resources or garbage is building up.

    Many national parks including Yellowstone and Yosemite stayed open during a 35-day shutdown during Trump’s first term. Limited staffing led to vandalism, gates being pried open and other problems including an off-roader mowing down one of the namesake trees at Joshua Tree National Park in California.

    Smithsonian Institution: Museums, research centers and the National Zoo will remain open through at least Monday.

    Impact on the economy

    Phillip Swagel, director of the Congressional Budget Office, said a short shutdown doesn’t have a huge impact on the economy, especially since federal workers, by law, are paid retroactively. But “if a shutdown continues, then that can give rise to uncertainties about what is the role of government in our society, and what’s the financial impact on all the programs that the government funds.”

    “The impact is not immediate, but over time, there is a negative impact of a shutdown on the economy,” he added.

    Markets haven’t reacted strongly to past shutdowns, according to Goldman Sachs Research. At the close of the three prolonged shutdowns since the early 1990s, equity markets finished flat or up even after dipping initially.

    A governmentwide shutdown would directly reduce growth by around 0.15 percentage points for each week it lasted, or about 0.2 percentage points per week once private-sector effects were included, and growth would rise by the same cumulative amount in the quarter following reopening, writes Alec Phillips, chief U.S. political economist at Goldman Sachs.

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  • Trump, Congress clash triggers government shutdown | Long Island Business News

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    In Brief:
    • About 750,000 face or firings
    • dispute stalls budget negotiations
    • Shutdown could trigger nationwide economic ripple effects
    • Smithsonian museums open briefly, but parks face closures

    Plunged into a , the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

    Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by Trump’s Republican administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.

    “We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.

    But the president, who met privately with congressional leadership this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.

    This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hard-line positions rather than more traditional compromises.
    Plenty of blame being thrown around

    The Democrats picked this fight, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are eager to challenge the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the costs of insurance premiums nationwide.

    Republicans have refused to negotiate and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was widely viewed as unserious and racist.

    Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday said Republicans want to resolve the health care issues that concern Democrats but will not negotiate until the government reopens.

    Until then, he stressed, people and federal workers will be affected in a variety of ways, and, as examples, he cited people on federal food assistance programs, potential flight delays for air travelers and service members not getting paid while they report for duty.

    “It’s craziness, and people are going to suffer because of this,” Vance said on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.”

    What neither side has devised is an easy off-ramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.

    “What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.

    Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”
    Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide

    An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.

    While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.

    “There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.

    Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. It’s part of the ‘s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.
    What’s staying open and shutting down

    The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.

    But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

    As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of former national park superintendents urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.
    No easy exit as health care costs soar

    Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.

    But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.

    The standoff is a political test for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.

    “Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

    “They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”

    Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.

    During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

    In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.


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  • Government shutdown begins as nation faces new period of uncertainty

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    Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.What we know: The Senate voted down two short-term spending bills on Tuesday: one Democratic proposal and one Republican proposal that passed in the House.The Senate has adjourned until Wednesday morning. The House is not in session this week.Senate Democrats are demanding that health care subsidies and Medicaid cuts be addressed before passing a funding bill.Thousands of federal workers are facing furloughs or layoffs.This is the first government shutdown in nearly seven years. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.”We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.But the president, who met privately with congressional leadership this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hardline positions rather than more traditional compromises.Plenty of blame being thrown aroundThe Democrats picked this fight, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are eager to challenge the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the costs of insurance premiums nationwide.Republicans have refused to negotiate for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was widely viewed as unserious and racist.What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.”What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.” Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwideAn economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.”There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.What’s staying open and shutting downThe Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of former national park superintendents urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.Video below: House Speaker rejects Democrats’ calls for health care negotiations as government shuts downNo easy exit as health care costs soarAhead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.The standoff is a political test for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.”Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.”They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades. ___Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Joey Cappelletti, Will Weissert, Fatima Hussein and other AP reporters nationwide contributed to this report.

    Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline.

    What we know:

    • The Senate voted down two short-term spending bills on Tuesday: one Democratic proposal and one Republican proposal that passed in the House.
    • The Senate has adjourned until Wednesday morning. The House is not in session this week.
    • Senate Democrats are demanding that health care subsidies and Medicaid cuts be addressed before passing a funding bill.
    • Thousands of federal workers are facing furloughs or layoffs.
    • This is the first government shutdown in nearly seven years.

    Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide.

    “We don’t want it to shut down,” Trump said at the White House before the midnight deadline.

    But the president, who met privately with congressional leadership this week, appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans to prevent that outcome.

    This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse, the first since his return to the White House this year, in a remarkable record that underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities and a political climate that rewards hardline positions rather than more traditional compromises.

    Plenty of blame being thrown around

    The Democrats picked this fight, which was unusual for the party that prefers to keep government running, but their voters are eager to challenge the president’s second-term agenda. Democrats are demanding funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act, spiking the costs of insurance premiums nationwide.

    Republicans have refused to negotiate for now and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks. After the White House meeting, the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was widely viewed as unserious and racist.

    What neither side has devised is an easy offramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure. The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil.

    “What the government spends money on is a demonstration of our country’s priorities,” said Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official who is the managing director of economic policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank in Washington.

    Shutdowns, she said, “only inflict economic cost, fear and confusion across the country.”

    Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide

    An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days. The government is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs report, which may or may not be delivered.

    While the financial markets have generally “shrugged” during past shutdowns, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis, this one could be different partly because there are no signs of broader negotiations.

    “There are also few good analogies to this week’s potential shutdown,” the analysis said.

    Across the government, preparations have been underway. Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, headed by Russ Vought, directed agencies to execute plans for not just furloughs, as are typical during a federal funding lapse, but mass firings of federal workers. It’s part of the Trump administration’s mission, including its Department of Government Efficiency, to shrink the federal government.

    What’s staying open and shutting down

    The Medicare and Medicaid health care programs are expected to continue, though staffing shortages could mean delays for some services. The Pentagon would still function. And most employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Security.

    But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are important to Democrats, “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

    As agencies sort out which workers are essential, or not, Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday. A group of former national park superintendents urged the Trump administration to close the parks to visitors, arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the public and put park resources at risk.

    Video below: House Speaker rejects Democrats’ calls for health care negotiations as government shuts down

    No easy exit as health care costs soar

    Ahead of Wednesday’s start of the fiscal year, House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill, over opposition from Democrats, to keep government running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue.

    But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate, including late Tuesday. It takes a 60-vote threshold for approval, which requires cooperation between the two parties. A Democratic bill also failed. With a 53-47 GOP majority, Democrats are leveraging their votes to demand negotiation.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said Republicans are happy to discuss the health care issue with Democrats — but not as part of talks to keep the government open. More votes are expected Wednesday.

    The standoff is a political test for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for health care funding.

    “Americans are hurting with higher costs,” Schumer said after the failed vote Tuesday.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill, blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

    “They want to fight Trump,” Johnson said Tuesday on CNBC. “A lot of good people are going to be hurt because of this.”

    Trump, during his meeting with the congressional leaders, expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of health care, but Democrats left with no path toward talks.

    During Trump’s first term, the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown, 35 days, over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall.

    In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Other closures date back decades.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Joey Cappelletti, Will Weissert, Fatima Hussein and other AP reporters nationwide contributed to this report.

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  • Senate adjourns after failed funding votes as government heads for shutdown at midnight

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    Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near-certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.What we know: The Senate voted down two short-term spending bills — one Democratic proposal and one Republican proposal.The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow morning, all but guaranteeing the government will shut down.Senate Democrats are demanding that health care subsidies and Medicaid cuts be addressed before passing a funding bill.Thousands of federal workers face furloughs or layoffs if the government shuts down at midnight Wednesday.There are fewer than 2 hours before the government shuts down for the first time in nearly seven years. The Senate rejected the legislation as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. The 55-45 vote on a bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans are trying to “bully” Democrats by refusing to negotiate on an extension of expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire at the end of the year.”We hope they sit down with us and talk,” Schumer said after the vote. “Otherwise, it’s the Republicans will be driving us straight towards a shutdown tonight at midnight. The American people will blame them for bringing the federal government to a halt.”The failure of Congress to keep the government open means that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or laid off. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.”Threatening retribution to Democrats, Trump said Tuesday that a shutdown could include “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”Trump and his fellow Republicans said they won’t entertain any changes to the legislation, arguing that it’s a stripped-down, “clean” bill that should be noncontroversial. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “we can reopen it tomorrow” if enough Democrats break party lines.The last shutdown was in Trump’s first term, from December 2018 to January 2019, when he demanded that Congress give him money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump retreated after 35 days — the longest shutdown ever — amid intensifying airport delays and missed paydays for federal workers. Democrats take a stand against Trump, with exceptionsWhile partisan stalemates over government spending are a frequent occurrence in Washington, the current impasse comes as Democrats see a rare opportunity to use their leverage to achieve policy goals and as their base voters are spoiling for a fight with Trump. Republicans who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate needed at least eight votes from Democrats after Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed the bill.Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted with Republicans to keep the government open — giving Republicans hope that there might be five more who will eventually come around and help end a shutdown.After the vote, King warned against “permanent damage” as Trump and his administration have threatened mass layoffs.”Instead of fighting Trump we’re actually empowering him, which is what finally drove my decision,” King said.Thune predicted Democratic support for the GOP bill will increase “when they realize that this is playing a losing hand.”Shutdown preparations beginThe stakes are huge for federal workers across the country as the White House told agencies last week that they should consider “a reduction in force” for many federal programs if the government shuts down. That means that workers who are not deemed essential could be fired instead of just furloughed.Either way, most would not get paid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in a letter to Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Tuesday that around 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.Federal agencies were already preparing. On the home page of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a large pop up ad reads, “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people.”Democrats’ health care asksDemocrats want to negotiate an extension of the health subsidies immediately as people are beginning to receive notices of premium increases for the next year. Millions of people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could face higher costs as expanded subsidies first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expire.Democrats have also demanded that Republicans reverse the Medicaid cuts that were enacted as a part of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” this summer and for the White House to promise it will not move to rescind spending passed by Congress.”We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.Thune pressed Democrats to vote for the funding bill and take up the debate on tax credits later. Some Republicans are open to extending the tax credits, but many are strongly opposed to it.In rare, pointed back-and-forth with Schumer on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Thune said Republicans “are happy to fix the ACA issue” and have offered to negotiate with Democrats — if they will vote to keep the government open until Nov. 21.A critical, and unusual, vote for DemocratsDemocrats are in an uncomfortable position for a party that has long denounced shutdowns as pointless and destructive, and it’s unclear how or when a shutdown will end. But party activists and lawmakers have argued that Democrats need to do something to stand up to Trump.”The level of appeasement that Trump demands never ends,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “We’ve seen that with universities, with law firms, with prosecutors. So is there a point where you just have to stand up to him? I think there is.”Some groups called for Schumer’s resignation in March after he and nine other Democrats voted to break a filibuster and allow a Republican-led funding bill to advance to a final vote.Schumer said then that he voted to keep the government open because a shutdown would have made things worse as Trump’s administration was slashing government jobs. He says things have now changed, including the passage this summer of the massive GOP tax cut bill that reduced Medicaid.Trump’s role in negotiationsA bipartisan meeting at the White House on Monday was Trump’s first with all four leaders in Congress since retaking the White House for his second term. Schumer said the group “had candid, frank discussions” about health care.But Trump did not appear to be ready for serious talks. Hours later, he posted a fake video of Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries taken from footage of their real press conference outside of the White House after the meeting. In the altered video, a voiceover that sounds like Schumer’s voice makes fun of Democrats and Jeffries stands beside him with a cartoon sombrero and mustache. Mexican music plays in the background.At a news conference on the Capitol steps Tuesday morning, Jeffries said it was a “racist and fake AI video.”Schumer said that less than a day before a shutdown, Trump was trolling on the internet “like a 10-year-old.””It’s only the president who can do this,” Schumer said. “We know he runs the show here.”___Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Kevin Freking, Matthew Brown, Darlene Superville and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

    Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a near-certain path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday for the first time in nearly seven years.

    What we know:

    • The Senate voted down two short-term spending bills — one Democratic proposal and one Republican proposal.
    • The Senate has adjourned until tomorrow morning, all but guaranteeing the government will shut down.
    • Senate Democrats are demanding that health care subsidies and Medicaid cuts be addressed before passing a funding bill.
    • Thousands of federal workers face furloughs or layoffs if the government shuts down at midnight Wednesday.
    • There are fewer than 2 hours before the government shuts down for the first time in nearly seven years.

    The Senate rejected the legislation as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands. The 55-45 vote on a bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation.

    Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans are trying to “bully” Democrats by refusing to negotiate on an extension of expanded Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire at the end of the year.

    “We hope they sit down with us and talk,” Schumer said after the vote. “Otherwise, it’s the Republicans will be driving us straight towards a shutdown tonight at midnight. The American people will blame them for bringing the federal government to a halt.”

    The failure of Congress to keep the government open means that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or laid off. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.”

    Threatening retribution to Democrats, Trump said Tuesday that a shutdown could include “cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

    Trump and his fellow Republicans said they won’t entertain any changes to the legislation, arguing that it’s a stripped-down, “clean” bill that should be noncontroversial. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “we can reopen it tomorrow” if enough Democrats break party lines.

    The last shutdown was in Trump’s first term, from December 2018 to January 2019, when he demanded that Congress give him money for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. Trump retreated after 35 days — the longest shutdown ever — amid intensifying airport delays and missed paydays for federal workers.

    Democrats take a stand against Trump, with exceptions

    While partisan stalemates over government spending are a frequent occurrence in Washington, the current impasse comes as Democrats see a rare opportunity to use their leverage to achieve policy goals and as their base voters are spoiling for a fight with Trump. Republicans who hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate needed at least eight votes from Democrats after Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky opposed the bill.

    Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine voted with Republicans to keep the government open — giving Republicans hope that there might be five more who will eventually come around and help end a shutdown.

    After the vote, King warned against “permanent damage” as Trump and his administration have threatened mass layoffs.

    “Instead of fighting Trump we’re actually empowering him, which is what finally drove my decision,” King said.

    Thune predicted Democratic support for the GOP bill will increase “when they realize that this is playing a losing hand.”

    Shutdown preparations begin

    The stakes are huge for federal workers across the country as the White House told agencies last week that they should consider “a reduction in force” for many federal programs if the government shuts down. That means that workers who are not deemed essential could be fired instead of just furloughed.

    Either way, most would not get paid. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated in a letter to Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst on Tuesday that around 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed each day once a shutdown begins.

    Federal agencies were already preparing. On the home page of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a large pop up ad reads, “The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people.”

    Democrats’ health care asks

    Democrats want to negotiate an extension of the health subsidies immediately as people are beginning to receive notices of premium increases for the next year. Millions of people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act could face higher costs as expanded subsidies first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic expire.

    Democrats have also demanded that Republicans reverse the Medicaid cuts that were enacted as a part of Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” this summer and for the White House to promise it will not move to rescind spending passed by Congress.

    “We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

    Thune pressed Democrats to vote for the funding bill and take up the debate on tax credits later. Some Republicans are open to extending the tax credits, but many are strongly opposed to it.

    In rare, pointed back-and-forth with Schumer on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, Thune said Republicans “are happy to fix the ACA issue” and have offered to negotiate with Democrats — if they will vote to keep the government open until Nov. 21.

    A critical, and unusual, vote for Democrats

    Democrats are in an uncomfortable position for a party that has long denounced shutdowns as pointless and destructive, and it’s unclear how or when a shutdown will end. But party activists and lawmakers have argued that Democrats need to do something to stand up to Trump.

    “The level of appeasement that Trump demands never ends,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. “We’ve seen that with universities, with law firms, with prosecutors. So is there a point where you just have to stand up to him? I think there is.”

    Some groups called for Schumer’s resignation in March after he and nine other Democrats voted to break a filibuster and allow a Republican-led funding bill to advance to a final vote.

    Schumer said then that he voted to keep the government open because a shutdown would have made things worse as Trump’s administration was slashing government jobs. He says things have now changed, including the passage this summer of the massive GOP tax cut bill that reduced Medicaid.

    Trump’s role in negotiations

    A bipartisan meeting at the White House on Monday was Trump’s first with all four leaders in Congress since retaking the White House for his second term. Schumer said the group “had candid, frank discussions” about health care.

    But Trump did not appear to be ready for serious talks. Hours later, he posted a fake video of Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries taken from footage of their real press conference outside of the White House after the meeting. In the altered video, a voiceover that sounds like Schumer’s voice makes fun of Democrats and Jeffries stands beside him with a cartoon sombrero and mustache. Mexican music plays in the background.

    At a news conference on the Capitol steps Tuesday morning, Jeffries said it was a “racist and fake AI video.”

    Schumer said that less than a day before a shutdown, Trump was trolling on the internet “like a 10-year-old.”

    “It’s only the president who can do this,” Schumer said. “We know he runs the show here.”

    ___

    Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Kevin Freking, Matthew Brown, Darlene Superville and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

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  • You took the Trump administration’s ‘Fork in the Road’ offer. Now what? – WTOP News

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    Tuesday is the last day on the payroll for more than 100,000 federal employees who took the “Fork in the Road” buyout package President Donald Trump’s administration offered earlier this year.

    It’s the end of the road for those who took the “Fork in the Road.”

    Regardless of what happens if and when the government shuts down, Tuesday is the last day on the payroll for more than 100,000 federal employees who took the “Fork in the Road” buyout package President Donald Trump’s administration offered earlier this year.

    Officially called the Deferred Resignation Program, the nearly $15 billion buyout is supposed to save the federal government about $28 billion a year in the future.

    The Trump administration’s goal was to reduce the overall size of the federal workforce and, in that regard, it has worked. For some federal employees who took the offer, they’ve also benefited.

    But that doesn’t mean it’s been a seamless experience for everyone.

    “There’s been a lot of inconsistency as far as how agencies have applied the agreement at the beginning, and even still now,” Michael Fallings, managing partner at the labor law firm Tully Rinckey, said.

    He said his firm has represented, and discussed this situation with, some federal employees who considered the offer.

    Fallings said some employees were told they weren’t eligible to take the offer, even after it was initially approved. Others who took it and then found a job somewhere else were told they had to pay back money because taking another job violated the agreement. And he said there have been some confusing moments for those who are still part of the federal workforce.

    “It’s caused a lot of fear among government employees, which has impacted the efficiency of the government, as far as just employees performing well,” he said.

    Efficiency has also been impacted “by employees leaving, and then a question of who’s performing the job duties for the employees that left.”

    “I think that what’s been most impactful for employees, is seeing somebody they’ve worked with for years be gone and not having a clear path as far as how these duties will be reassigned,” he added.

    He said anyone who took the buyout but isn’t ready to retire is technically still eligible to return to the federal workforce. But he has some advice for them regardless of whether they hope to return or not.

    “If they were looking to retire, they should still ensure that their retirement benefits and their personnel file is accurate,” he said. “Even if they weren’t looking to retire and they found other employment, or if they’re not working, they still need to ensure that their personnel files and their performance appraisals and all that is accurate because that may be used in the future, whether they’re looking to go back to the government or otherwise.”

    But has it all been worth it?

    “Well, the administration’s intent was to reduce the size of the government, and one of the ways to do that in really any kind of sector is to offer this buyout,” Fallings said.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • White House tells agencies to draft mass firing plans ahead of potential government shutdown

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    White House tells agencies to draft mass firing plans ahead of potential government shutdown

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is telling agencies to prepare for large-scale firings of federal workers if the government shuts down next week.

    In a memo released Wednesday night, the Office of Management and Budget said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next week, are not otherwise funded, and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.” That would be a much more aggressive step than in previous shutdowns, when federal workers not deemed essential were furloughed but returned to their jobs once Congress approved government spending.

    A reduction in force would not only lay off employees but also eliminate their positions, which would trigger yet another massive upheaval in a federal workforce that has already faced major rounds of cuts this year due to efforts from the Department of Government Efficiency and elsewhere in the Trump administration.

    Once any potential government shutdown ends, agencies are asked to revise their reduction-in-force plans “as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions,” according to the memo, which was first reported by Politico.

    This move from OMB significantly increases the consequences of a potential government shutdown next week and escalates pressure on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The two leaders have kept nearly all of their Democratic lawmakers united against a clean funding bill pushed by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans that would keep the federal government operating for seven more weeks, demanding immediate improvements to health care in exchange for their votes.

    In statements issued shortly after the memo was released, the two Democrats showed no signs of budging.

    “We will not be intimidated by your threat to engage in mass firings,” Jeffries wrote in a post on X. “Get lost.”

    Jeffries called Russ Vought, the head of OMB, a “malignant political hack.”

    Schumer said in a statement that the OMB memo is an “attempt at intimidation” and predicted the “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.”

    OMB noted that it held its first planning call with other federal agencies earlier this week to plan for a shutdown. The budget office plays point in managing federal government shutdowns, particularly planning for them ahead of time. Past budget offices have also posted shutdown contingency plans — which would outline which agency workers would stay on the job during a government shutdown and which would be furloughed — on their website, but this one has not.

    The memo noted that congressional Democrats are refusing to support a clean government funding bill “due to their partisan demands,” which include an extension of enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus a reversal of Medicaid cuts that were included in Republicans’ big tax and spending cuts law.

    “As such, it has never been more important for the Administration to be prepared for a shutdown if the Democrats choose to pursue one,” the memo reads, which also notes that the GOP’s signature law, a major tax and border spending package, gives “ample resources to ensure that many core Trump Administration priorities will continue uninterrupted.”

    OMB noted that it had asked all agencies to submit their plans in case of a government shutdown by Aug. 1.

    “OMB has received many, but not all, of your submissions,” it added. “Please send us your updated lapse plans ASAP.”

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  • Georgia man convicted for death threats against VA workers, federal employees

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    Generate Key Takeaways

    A coastal Georgia man was convicted after a two-day trial after making threats to kill staff at the Department of Veterans, other federal employees and Americans, at large.

    The U.S. Department of Justice said 44-year-old Alexis Beatles was arrested in January by members of the Savannah Police Department SWAT Team and the FBI.

    [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

    “VA personnel and the veterans they serve should feel safe while working and receiving care within VA facilities,” Special Agent in Charge David Spilker, with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office, said in a statement.

    At trial, prosecutors described how Beatles made threats by phone to the VA hotline in December 2024, making demands and threatening to kill VA staff and other federal workers if they were not met.

    TRENDING STORIES:

    During these calls, federal officials said Beatles threatened to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, “destroy” U.S. citizens, rig his home with explosives to harm police officers, and kill the children of officers attempting to arrest him.

    “Those who make threats against members of our community in violation of federal law will be held accountable,” Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said.

    Beatles now faces up to 10 years in prison, followed by supervised release and is not eligible for parole.

    “Threats of violence against federal employees and our communities will never be tolerated,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta.

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  • Operation Hire Hawaii initiative fills less than 3% of state job vacancies

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    An effort to expeditiously fill chronically high state job vacancies with displaced federal workers in Hawaii since February is being touted as a success, though program use has been selective.

    Over the past six months, Operation Hire Hawai ‘i, established via executive order by Gov. Josh Green, has resulted in 142 hires through Aug. 20, including many new employees not from the federal workforce amid a purge under President Donald Trump.

    “The results have been really promising, ” state Department of Human Resources Development Director Brenna Hashimoto told members of the House Committee on Labor in a progress report on the “OH-HI ” initiative Aug. 23 at the state Capitol.

    “This program has been really successful in expediting the process, ” she said.

    Hashimoto told the panel that 6, 149 applications were received through the program, resulting in 142 jobs being filled in various state agencies that collectively had about 5, 000 vacant civil service jobs, excluding public school teacher positions, when OH-HI began.

    As of Friday, the hiring count was up to 147, and 13 of the new state employees indicated they had come from the federal workforce, according to DHRD.

    About one-third of applicants through OH-HI were from the federal workforce, according to Hashimoto, who also said that individual state agencies were using the recruitment program only in some circumstances to fill positions.

    “We’re finding they’re using it selectively when it’s a critical job to fill, or they have a lot of vacancies and they want to try to use Operation Hire Hawai ‘i, ” she said. “They don’t use it for everything.”

    Hashimoto noted that OH-HI was being used for 127 different recruitment efforts since February, including a two-day job fair at the Hawai ‘i Convention Center in April that attracted over 900 job seekers. Currently, about 40 recruitments remain open through the special program, while about 500 other recruitment efforts are open under the state’s regular hiring process that can take months.

    State agencies have hired about 800 people this year through July under the regular recruitment process, though DHRD said that can’t fairly be compared with OH-HI because many of the 800 hires may have stemmed from efforts that spanned more than seven months.

    Under OH-HI, the department sends applications to agencies in need of corresponding jobs a day after they are received, and agencies are then supposed to make tentative hiring decisions within 14 days.

    Of the 142 hires through OH-HI, Hashimoto had information on which agency made hires in 112 cases as of Aug. 20. Two agencies, the Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Human Services, made the most, with 22 each.

    DHRD itself made five hires. Three agencies made no hires despite requests : the Department of Law Enforcement, the state Public Library System and the Department of Budget and Finance.

    The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism submitted the most requisitions for hiring among agencies—27—and was able to hire eight people. By comparison, the Department of the Attorney General made eight requisitions that led to its 22 hires.

    Hashimoto told the panel that more use of OH-HI by agencies isn’t occurring because the program shifts considerable work typically handled by DHRD to individual agencies, which often don’t have the resources to make better use of the program.

    ASSESSMENTS of the results by members of the House committee were fairly positive, despite the number of resulting hires representing less than 3 % of applicants in a program targeted to recruit highly qualified personnel being culled from federal employment or from jobs that are losing federal funding.

    “It sounds like the program is going very well, so congratulations on that, ” said Rep. Jackson Sayama, chair of the House Committee on Labor.

    Sayama (D, Wilhelmina Rise-Maunalani Heights-­

    St. Louis Heights ) had asked Hashimoto why OH-HI couldn’t become the state’s standard procedure for hiring, and was informed of the limitation that has made the program more of an option.

    Sayama also asked about agencies making conditional job offers through OH-HI within two weeks of receiving applications.

    Green said in February that he was directing state agencies to do so, but the written order doesn’t include such language. Hashimoto told the panel the timetable isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. “It’s a little bit aspirational, ” she said.

    Another difference with the initial stated intent of the program was its focus on displaced federal workers. Under OH-HI, anyone can apply for positions listed on the program’s website at.

    Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili ) expressed some frustration with the program’s inception through an executive order from Green instead of using a state law enacted last year that aimed to accomplish the same thing.

    “I got to admit, I’m a little irritated, ” he told Hashi ­moto. “The departments can already do this.”

    Matayoshi authored House Bill 1832, which Green signed into law July 3, 2024, as Act 186.

    The law authorizes state agencies to review applicants’ minimum qualifications for vacant positions rather than DHRD, and requires DHRD to provide agencies with applications it receives for vacancies under certain circumstances.

    DHRD opposed the bill, which Matayoshi claimed can achieve the same results as OH-HI but hasn’t been used.

    Hashimoto said some differences exist between the year-old law and OH-HI, including less work for individual agencies under OH-HI.

    Matayoshi said after the briefing that it’s hard for him to assess if OH-HI is being used enough, though he likes the program. “I do like Operation Hire Hawai ‘i, ” he said. “It’s essentially my program.”

    Camron Hurt, program manager for Common Cause Hawaii, a nonprofit advocate for government accountability, said it’s also hard to assess the effectiveness of OH-HI based on the number of hires after six months.

    “I think it’s too soon to tell, ” he said.

    DHRD INTENDS to continue OH-HI for about a full year or possibly longer, and tentatively plans to hold another job fair in October or November after the next federal fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

    A lot of Trump’s effort to slash the size of the federal workforce has been in turmoil with litigation, union challenges and even rehiring.

    The president’s order, aimed at eliminating “waste, bloat, and insularity, ” followed an initial buyout offer accepted by about 75, 000 federal workers around the country and a hiring freeze that included a recommendation to rescind around 200, 000 job offers and jobs for probationary employees.

    The federal government employs about 2.4 million people.

    Hawaii was home to about 35, 500 federal civilian workers in 2024, according to DBEDT.

    “It’s sort of uncertain what will happen when the next federal fiscal year starts, so we plan to continue this project at least through early next year, ” Hashimoto said.

    Green’s order stays in force unless modified or rescinded by a subsequent order.

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